The relatively active northeast monsoon over the State especially in the Ghat region, aided by the weather systems over the Bay of Bengal, has improved the water levels in major reservoirs under the Irrigation department and Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB), averting a major crisis. The reservoirs under the KSEB have a cumulative storage of 65% of the total as on Wednesday, compared to 80% storage during the same period the previous year.
Considering the precarious storage level of 36% in the reservoirs on October 1 following a deficient southwest monsoon, the State now has reasons to cheer as it is likely to receive active spells of rain for another 10 days, which is likely to push the total storage in reservoirs to around 70%. This is enough to avert an imminent crisis as power consumption was relatively low during October and November. The average daily consumption during the months hovered around 79-80 mu.
The State received a total of 501.5 mm rainfall from October 1 to November 22 against the long period average of 439.3 mm during this period, an excess of 14%. The State used to get a total of 491 mm of rainfall during the three-month northeast monsoon period (October to December). In short, the State has received its annual quota of seasonal rainfall though 40 more days are left for the season to end.
